Beyon health illiteracy – questions and reactions

Abstract

In catastrophic situations such as the one we are experiencing, because of COVID-19 pandemic, a feeling of alarm grows in the population and alters the usual ways of facing uncertain future, including our own health. New habits of thinking and acting are emerging. At the interpersonal level of Social Psychology, we are faced with affective and cognitive dissonances that can reach “negationism” with regard to the preventive measures decreed by the Government, the taking of vaccines and medications, and the assessment of one`s own health. Driven by a fad that is hard to pass, some try to explain these attitudes and behaviors by invoking illiteracy in health. In previous studies, O.G. Pereira, P.M. Gonçalves, S. Brito and S. Mendes (2014; 2016), showed that illiteracy is a minor factor. It is better to attribute the effects found to stress, coping strategies, and harmful habits and life styles, if you postulate a circular causality among them. The present longitudinal study aims to deepen the previous findings, using similar instruments, but taking into account what happened to the same student-subjects in the last three years, the last one being that of the Pandemic. Data were studied by year and school (Health Sciences and Tourism and Maritime Technology). The results showed that health evaluation do not varies across years and schools. In addition, it was significant that the coping strategies of thought led to denial or to the use of humor to get past the problem. Anthropometric data are considered in six graphics, by year and school. Health evaluation are presented in table 1. The interrelations among coping strategies (action and though) with noxious health habits are in tables 2, 3, 4 and 5.